[Arm-netbook] Group Buy: 7" Tablet

[Derek LaHousse]

On Sun, 2012-10-07 at 16:12 +0100, luke.leighton wrote:
> On Sun, Oct 7, 2012 at 1:55 PM,  <freebirds at fastmail.fm> wrote:
> 
> > http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread785241/pg1
> 
>  bloody hellfire.
> 

There are many details missing from this story.  In fact, it has all the
authenticity of "I heard from a guy who said his brother's wife's
aunt..."

At the very least, MODEL OF PHONE would be nice.  CDMA phones don't
typically use SIMs.
> 
>  *sigh* the x86 laptop chosen to be converted has *already* gone out
> of production.  i'm kinda getting fed up with having to work on this
> company's bureaucratic glacial timescales.
> 
>  luckily we've been approached by a university who are willing to make
> - from scratch - a complete EOMA-68 laptop design, as an Open Hardware
> Project.
> 
>  that's why i said "please decide and research amongst yourselves the
> full features required for a 7in tablet" because i will propose it to
> them if the university would like to design it.
> 

So, Luke, you're saying the 14" laptop models will not be demonstrated?
That's a shame, as they would have been a good presentation, but I got
the feeling from the list that 14" serves nobody.

Let's provide good input on a desired laptop to that university, eh?  To
me, EOMA-68 means getting the highest quality shell as possible, since
it will only be replaced because of damage.  There was a thread a few
months ago where screens were discussed... did anyone capture it?  I'll
also go looking, and see if I can't put the screens with part numbers on
the "laptop" page.  

With a fully solid-state computer, the hard drive is no longer the weak
link of G-forces.  What does the shell have to be made of to protect the
screen from drops/impact?  Dell claims some kind of Magnesium-alloy
frame on their high-end business classes.  Does anyone with more
experience have an idea of what that would cost to produce, and its
efficacy?  I'd buy a $1000 shell if it had a high-res screen and would
last 10 years.

Oh, and please, PLEASE consider putting TWO batteries in the
laptop/tablets.  This would allow you to swap batteries in the field,
without needing AC.  Alternately, it allows use of a battery-charger
rather than a power cord for on-going use.  Or tell me why the
trade-offs have caused this idea to never be used.

Derek